Collapsible railing for utility truck tower platform



y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM Filed Sept. 16, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet l ATESR VEV y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM l7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 16, 1950 y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL 2,

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM l7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 16, 1950 IN V EN TORS HERMAN J. T ROCHE 8 JAMES #01430 HOLA/V ATTORNEY July 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM l7 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Sept. 16, 1950 INVENTOR$ HERMAN J. THOUHE 8 JAMES HOWARD HOLA/V A TTOR/VEY y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL 2,

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM Filed Sept. 16, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEY y 3, 5 H. J. 'TROCHE ET AL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM l7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Sept. 16, 1950 INVENTORS HERMAN J. TROGHE G BY JAMES HOWARD HOL ATTORNEY y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ETA].- 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM Filed Sept 16, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS HERMAN J. TROGHE a ATTORNEY y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ETAL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY- TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM Filed Sept. 16, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet 9 A T TOR/V5) IN VEN TORS HER/1M J. TROCl-IE JAMES HOW/1R HOLAN y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM INVENTOR.

MAN J. THUG/IE HE 7T1 BY JAMES HOWARD NOLAN ATTORNEY y 3, 1956 H. .1. TROCHE ET AL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM N A 1 t mm Z w. Wm S No a A m Ms 5 mm m 1 1 I Y B 0 l 6 l w 5 w m 7'5 ATTORNEY y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM l7 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Sept. 16, 1950 INVENTOR.

HERMAN J. TROCHE 8 JAMES HOWARD HOLA/V A TTORNEY 17 Sheets-Sheet l3 July 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM Filed Sept. 16, 1950 ATTORNEY y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM l7 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed Sept. 16, 1950 INVENTORS HERMAN J TROGWE' 8 JAMES HOWARD HOLA/V BY AN ATTORNEY y 3, 1956 H. .1. TROCHE ET AL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM l7 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Sept. 16, 1950 N m H R N 2N ma mm mm? 2- mm b cu ATTORNEY July 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ET AL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM l7 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed Sept. 16, 1950 HGT 3/ 355 374 I 370 7 INVENT 25 HERMd/V J. TROGl-IE JAMES HOMRD HOLA/V ATTORNEY y 3, 1956 H. J. TROCHE ETAL 2,753,224

COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM Filed Sept. 16. 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet l7 FIG.

FIG 37 INVENTORS HERMAN J. TROGHE 8 BY JAMES HOWA A TTOR/VEY United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE RAILING FOR UTILITY TRUCK TOWER PLATFORM Herman J. Troche, Fairview Park, and James Howard Holan, Rocky River, Ohio, assignors to J; H. Holan Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 16, 1950, Serial No. 185,268

4 Claims. (Cl. 304-38) Although the tower is designed for use on any suitable support, it is particularly designed for use with a utility truck body, and the invention is illustrated by a description herein and a showing thereof in the accompanying drawings as applied to a utility truck chassis. Ah important use of utility truck bodies is in the installation and maintenance of public utility facilities.

The instant improved tower is raised and lowered by hydraulic mechanism, its functions are electrically controlled, and the controls are hooked-up with the truck engine and battery.

Included amongst the objects and advantages of the invention in hydraulic towers herein presented are the following:

The tower is installed at a comparatively low initial investment, and is easy to install and maintain.

The tower consists of a comparatively small number of unit assemblies which are easily replaced.

The tower is available in a number of servicing heights, for instance, total heights from about 17 feet to about 30 feet, and has a low collapsed height which provides ample clearance for underpasses and garage parking. The working platforms forming part of the tower are of various types, stationary, rotary, and transversely movable, all of which are improved structures and are herein shown and described.

A push-button control governs the hydraulic system, and is so positioned as to eliminate the necessity of work men bending over to operate it. There are multiple sets of electrical controls for convenient operation located at various points, for instance, in the truck cab, on the truck body, and on the working platform of the tower.

The controls permit stopping of the tower movement at any height, and an emergency manual control is provided for use in the event of engine failure when the tower is elevated.

The tower is provided with an automatic engine speed regulator, thus eliminating the necessity of manual control from the cab for this purpose, this automatic regulator insuring proper tower and engine speeds at all times.

The tower includes an improved metering device which, without the necessity of manually-actuated valves or control rods, insures an approximately constant tower speed while raising and lowering the tower, and provides low maintenance cost. Any suitable tower speed can be provided as desired.

Mounting of the tower on a utility truck is provided within a minimum of truck space, the installation requiring only about fourteen inches, longitudinally measured, from the back of the truck cab to the rear end of the supporting channels of the tower.

The tower includes a floating hydraulic cylinder which a acts to lift and lower the platform. Side thrusts on the packing glands of the hydraulic cylinder are eliminated, thus minimizing oil leaks.

The tower is provided with telescoping frame sections within which telescoping cylindrical mast units forming the floating hydraulic cylinder are enclosed, which frame sections are of the box type and provide a maximum of strength and stability. These box sections are provided with interior adjustable wear plates.

All tower platforms are insulated to a comparatively high voltage.

The tower is adaptable to various types of utility truck chassis, such adaptation being hereinafter illustrated.

The structure has railings for the working platform of the tower that are of comparatively great heights, thus making for greater safety of the operators.

Certain improvements and benefits attach to the types of platforms utilized, for instance, a counter-balance railing assembly is provided for the rotating platform, and the transversely-movable type of platform is hydraulically operated.

The instant invention is directed to the attainment of the above and also certain related objects which will be hereinafter mentioned, all as hereinafter fully described in detail and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The claims of the instant application are directed to the railing structure utilized upon the rotary platform.

The tower will be hereinafter referred to as having its front immediately to the rear of the truck cab, and the respective left and right sides of the tower will be thus referred to as if viewing the tower from the rear.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means illustrating the improvements in hydraulic towers, such means constituting, however, only a few of the various forms in which the principle of the invention may be embodied.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 is a left side elevation of the hydraulic tower mounted with a truck body upon the chassis of a utility truck, this figure showing the tower in lowered position and including a stationary type of upper working platform;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the tower elements shown in Figure 1, the truck body being suggested by dot-anddash lines;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the improved tower in a raised position and includes a transversely-movable type of platform, the latter being shown in full lines in extreme moved position, the figure also including, in dotand-dash lines, a suggestion of the platform in normal position, and a suggestion of another type of truck body to the particular chassis of which the tower has been adapted, the distance PP indicating the overall working field of the platform, and the distance R--R indicating the distance through which a certain platform frame part has moved during the movement of the platform from the dot-and-dash position to the fullline position;

Figures 4 and 5 together constitute a broken top plan; upon an enlarged scale, of the transversely movable working platform, the actuating elements therefor, and the mast and frame units, the respective Figures 4 and 5 being taken from the plane indicated by the lines 4-4 and 5-5, Figure 3, the transversely movable platform being shown in full lines in extreme moved position and, in dot-and-dash lines, in closed or normal position;

Figure 6 is a left side broken and fragmentary elevation, upon an enlarged scale, at the platform level of the tower, taken from the plane indicated by the line 6-6, Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a broken transverse vertical section, looking toward the front, taken in the plane indicated by the line 77, Figure 6 and particularly showing a concentric series of telescoping mounting tubes and a pair of telescoping track sections forming part of the platform-actuating means;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing particularly the hydraulic cylinder structure utilized for transversely moving the working platform, the view being taken in the plane indicated by the line 88, Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a broken fragmentary transverse top plan section, taken in the plane indicated by the line 99, Figure 6, showing particularly a pair of relatively telescoping track sections;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section, upon an enlarged scale, looking toward the right, and taken in the planes indicated by the line 10-40, Figure 5, the view particularly showing the working floor of the platform, and platform-moving structures including one of a pair of sheaves forming part thereof;

Figure 11 is a transverse vertical section, upon an enlarged scale, looking toward the front, and taken in the plane indicated by the line 11-11, Figure 5, this view being a further showing of the sheave and some related structures;

Figure 12 is a broken top plan view of the sheaves and some related structures shown in Figures 4, 5, and 11, the sheave positions being intermediate those shown therefor in Figures 4, 5, and 11;

Figures 13 and 14 together constitute a transverse vertical section, upon an enlarged scale, and looking toward the front, of the vertically-movable telescoping mast and frame units of the tower in lowered position, the figures particularly illustrating the telescoping features of the mast and frame units and being taken in the plane indicated by the line 13-14 and 13-14, Figure 4;

Figure 15 is a top plan section of the telescoping mast and frame units, taken in the planes indicated by the line 15-15, Figure 13;

Figure 16 is an elevation, upon an enlarged scale, of

parts shown in Figures 24 and 25 in partially condition;

Figure 27 is a fragmentary transverse elevation, upon an enlarged scale, taken from the plane indicated by the line 27--27, Figure 25;

Figure 28 is a fragmentary plan section of an upper rear corner of the railing, the view being upon an enlarged scale and taken from the plane indicated by the line 2828, Figure 25;

Figure 29 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section, upon an enlarged scale, taken from the plane indicated by the line 29--29, Figure 25;

Figure 30 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section, upon an enlarged scale, taken in the plane indicated by the line 30-30, Figure 24;

Figure 31 is a fragmentary longitudinal horizontal section, upon an enlarged scale, taken in the plane indicated by the line 31-31, Figure 25;

Figure 32 is a detail transverse vertical section, upon an enlarged scale, taken in the plane indicated by the line 32-32, Figure 25;

Figure 33 is a fragmentary front elevation taken from the plane 3333, Figure 24 Figure 34 is a detail of a certain manually-actuated and emergency operating means;

Figure 35 is an axial section, upon an enlarged scale, of a certain oil-flow control unit of the control valve shown in Figure 23, this control valve unit passing oil to and from the verticallymovable tower mast and the oil reservoir, the parts of this control valve unit of this Figure 35 being in position to pass oil from the reservoir to the mast;

Figure 36 is a section similar to Figure 35 in which the collapsed parts of this control valve unit are in position to pass oil a portion of an oil-metering valve and some related elements whose function appears more in detail in a diagram constituting Figure 23;

Figure 17 is a side elevation, upon an enlarged scale, of the railing for the transversely movable platform 7 shown in Figure 3, the railing being up in operative position, a partially folded position and a fully folded position of transverse front and rear railing members being shown in dot-and-dash lines;

Figure 18 is a fragmentary top plan of a front top corner of the railing, the view being on an enlarged scale and taken from the plane indicated by the line 18-18, Figure 17;

Figure 19 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section, taken in the plane indicated by the line 19-49, Figure 18, a free position of a locking plate for certain railing elements being suggested by dot-and-dash lines;

Figure 20 is a fragmentary top plan of the rear top corner of the same side of the railing, the view being on an enlarged scale and taken from the plane indicated by the line 2020, Figure 17;

Figure 21 is a fragmentary transverse elevation, looking toward the rear, of a bottom corner of the railing, the view being on an enlarged scale and taken from the plane indicated by the line 21-41, Figure 17;

Figure 22 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section, taken in the plane indicated by the line 2222, Figure 21;

Figure 23 is a diagram of the hydraulic system and the electric control for actuating the vertical telescoping units of the tower and the transversely-movable platform, the units of a certain oil-flow control valve being shown in respective neutral positions;

Figure 24 is a top plan of a rotary type of platform and its railing, the latter being up in operative position;

Figure 25 is a side elevation of the elements shown in Figure 24, certain portions of the railing being shown by dot-and-dash lines in collapsed condition;

Figure 26 is a side elevation of certain of the railing;

. different type chassis 14 carrying a body 2 more, the tower shown in Figure 3 is provided with a from the mast to the reservoir;

Figure 37 is an axial section, upon an enlarged scale, of a certain oil-flow control valve unit which passes oil to and from the reservoir and a hydraulic cylinder for actuating the transversely-movable working platform, the parts of this control valve unit of this Figure 37 being in position to pass oil from the reservoir to the cylinder; and

Figure 38 is a section similar to Figure 37 in which the parts of this control valve unit are in a position to pass oil from the hydraulic cylinder to the reservoir.

Referring to the annexed drawings in which the same parts are designated by the same respective numbers in the several views, a cab 1 and a body 2 of a utility truck are shown in Figures 1 and 2, upon the chassis 14 of which the improved tower having a fixed type 6 of working platform is mounted. The platform 6 is supported by a base 15 secured to the tower frame 5 and the platform 6.

Figure 3 shows the improved tower mounted upon a Furthertransversely-movable platform 7, the mast 4 and frame 5 being elevated and the platform 7 being shown in extended position with its railing 73 up, the normal position of the platform 7, preparatory to moving the platform 7 transversely, being shown by the dot-and-dash outline of the raised railing 73.

The tower is mounted upon the longitudinal side channels 3 of the chassis 14 or 14 Figures 1, 2, 3, and 15; Figure 3 indicating one way in which the height of the mounting can be adjusted so as to meet the conditions presented by various types of chassis.

The vertically extensible tower unit comprises, broadly, a plurality of telescoping cylinders constituting an inner mast or floating hydraulic chamber designated by the general number 4, Figures 2, 3, 6, 13, 14, 15, and 23, and a plurality of reinforced telescoping two-part side channels constituting an outer frame designated by the general number 5, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, l3, 14, 15, 16, and 23. These mast and frame units are combined with an PPiQ fixed horizontal working platform designated by the general number 6, such as is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, or a transversely-movable working platform desig nated by the general number 7, such as is illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 17, or a rotary working platform designated by the general number 8, such as is illustrated in Figures 24 to 33, inclusive.

The operating and control assembly comprises a hydraulic system designated by the general number 9, Fig ures 3, 4, 6, 8, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 23, including an oil tank 10, Figures 2, 3, 14, 15 and 23 on the right side of the tower base, a hydraulic cylinder 154, Figures 4, 6, and 8, and a pump 11 at the front, Figures 14, 15, and 23; also an electrical assembly designated by the general number 12, Figures 4, 5, and 23, such electrical assembly 12 including a control housing 13, Figures 2, 3, 14, and 15, on the left side of the tower base. Various electric switch stations are indicated, such as station 16 of the working platform 7, Figures 3 and 17. Further switch stations, not shown, are available in the cab 1 and on the body 2.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2, 3, l4, and 15, front and rear transverse tower base channels 21 are provided which are secured directly to the top of the longitudinal chassis channels 3, as shown in Figure 2, or, to accommodate various types of chassis, are secured thereto by depending angles 23, Figure 3, whose flanges are bolted to the cross channels 21, whose webs are bolted to the longitudinal chassis channels 3, and whose bottom ends are secured to the chassis 14 The angles 23 are of a length and design according with the type of chassis upon which the tower is mounted. The bottom of the tower is located about fourteen to fifteen inches from the ground and the tower cross channels 21 are mounted on the longitudinal channels 3 of the respective chassis so as to provide about this height for the bottom of the tower. Cross angles 25 are bolted to the cross channels 21, Figure 15, and at their right ends are welded to the front and rear of the tank 10. Tank bracing angles 22, Figure 15, are welded to the tank and bolted to the cross chan nels 21. On the left side of the tower a channel 26 is welded to the control housing 13 which housing is mounted on the cross channels 21 and secured to the truck frame, Figure 15, or the control housing 13 may be otherwise suitably secured. A front cross channel 28, Figures 14 and 15, is welded to the longitudinal chassis channels 3 and supports the pump 11. Referring particularly to Figure 3, gussets 29 are welded to the bases of the webs of the respective outer channel units of the telescoping frame 5 and to the top of the cross channels 21.

Other base connecting and strengthening members are utilized as are required by the size and type of tower and type of chassis.

Structure of the mast and frame The mast 4 includes five telescoping cylindrical vertical units, Figures 6, 13, 14, and 15, designated respectively, reading from the outside toward the inside of the mast 4, by the numbers 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35, which five units make up a floating hydraulic cylinder. The outer mast unit 31 is stationary and has a base plate 36 secured by a bottom mast ring 37 which is bolted to and above side extensions 36 of the base plate 36, Figure 15, and welded to the exterior surface of the outer cylinder 31. base plate extensions 36 are secured by bolts 39 adjacent their outer ends to the tower cross channels 21. An oil seal ring 38 adjacently surrounds the bottom of the outer mast unit 31 and is embedded in and at the bottom of the ring 37.

Adjacent the lower ends of the cylinders 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35, and between each adjacent two cylinders, are bearings 41), Figure 14, providing for the sliding of the four inner cylinders upon the respectively adjacently exterior cylinders. Exteriorly extending from each of the four inner cylinders and seated in the respective cylinders adjacently above the bearings 40 are an external type of The split stop rings 43. Adjacently below the bearings 40 are also similarly positioned another like series of an external type of split stop rings 42. Adjaceutly below 'this lastmentioned series of stop rings area series: of three internal type of split stop rings 41 which are seated in the three cylinders 32, 33, and 34 and extend inwardly of the respective cylinders. Materially above the rings 43 is a series of an external type of split stop rings 44 projected outwardly from the four inner cylinders: 32, 33, 34, and 35. Fluid relief holes 45 are drilled through the four inner cylinders 32, 33, 34, and 35 above the top series of stop rings 44.

The function and operation of the several series of stop rings will be hereinafter fully described.

A sloping cap 49, Figures 6 and 13, for the interior cylinder 35 is welded thereto and has a depending portion 49 securely engaging by its periphery the inner wall of the inner cylinder 35. A bolt and nut combination 51 also secures the cap 49 to the top of the inner cylinder 35, the bolt being an integral part of the sloping cap 49, and the nut being secured down upon a main front to rear tubular trunnion 50 hereinafter more fully mentioned.

Adequate sliding and sealing surfaces between each adjacent two of the telescoping mast units are provided adjacent the tops of the respective units 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 by bearings 53, packing gland nuts and bearings 52, stuffing boxes 54 welded to the tops of the four outer units 31, 32, 33, and 34, and wiper rings 55.

Slung from the cap 49 at the top of the inner cylinder 35 is the main rear to front horizontal tubular trunnion 50 to the exterior top surface of which is welded a cross box-like structure having side channel formations 89 to the webs of which are bolted angles 38 having lower flanges engaging the bottoms of the channel formations 89. These angles 88 and channels 89 are also bolted to the webs of vertical support channels 76 welded to the flanges of the units forming an inner frame member 63. There are four of these frame members which will be hereinafter fully described. The main longitudinal trunnion 50 is also welded to transverse short tubes 86, Figure 13, which tubes 86 are also welded to the webs of the channels 89, the tubes 86 being also bolted to the angles 88 and the channels 89.

The frame channel unit pairs are four in number, Figures 13, 14, and 15, and they have a foot plate 70 formed with side extensions 71 to which are bolted overlying front to rear horizontal plates 72 lying adjacently exteriorly of the webs of the outer stationary frame units 60 and welded thereto.

The opposed pairs of frame channel units 60, 61, 62, and 63 are respectively secured together by crosswise corrugated strengthening members 75, Figures 1, 2, 3, 13, and 15, which are welded at their ends to the outer faces of the flanges of the respective pairs of opposed units 60, 61, 62, and 63. There are a plurality of spaced sets of these corrugated strengthening members 75 through out the height of the frame, as clearly appears in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 13.

Interposed between the webs of the respectively adjacent pairs of telescoping frame units 60, 61, 62, and 63, and secured to the webs of the inner unit of each pair of units, at the top of the frame, are wear plates 81, Figures 13 and 15. There are like wear plates at the bottom of the frame secured to the inner frame unit of the respectively adjacent pairs of frame units, Figure 14.

Corresponding wear plates 84, at the top of the frame, and wear plates 83 at the bottom of the frame, are interposed between the fianges of the respectively adjacent pairs of telescoping frame units and secured to the flanges of the inner units of the respective pairs.

External stop plates 82, at the bottom of the frame, are secured by welds 91 to the webs of the inner units of the respectively adjacent pairs of telescoping frame units 60, 61, 62, and 63; and, adjacent the top of the frame, there are interposed internal stop plates 85 secured by welds 

